San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-26

Cnls Delng a silver coin winch follce-
man z was twisting between his finger
and thumb as he spOke-''wi'out fur
nishin' any satisfactory account.
Won't do, you know, sir, " with judic-
ial shake of the head, fur little CELLS to
prodooce property, which seems sing
gurlally out O. place in SIGH like hands
wi'out bein' able t."
. child.
''Guv' yerl A lot O. that! Who gives
little beggar CELLS silver bits-little beg
gars all = rags?"-with unkindly refer
ence to the poor child's tatters. "A
penny now, Or"
HE guv' it me doom i Strand, as"
Then a broken cry escaped the poor
blue lips, as the child CHANGED to turn
her eyes toward Dick. 'Wha' you's he,
an all! An thim's tn selfsame
"Ah, to be surel" cried Dick, ~ re-
member all about it. You must be the
veritable little maid who picked up my
button-hole outside the FrivOlity, and
oh, it's all right enough, bobby;
chucked her the coin. How devilish
strange, and-But what's the matter
nowln
For the tears were rolling swiftly
down the poor child's frozen cheeks,
and, despite the chatter of her teeth,
her low choked sobs were distinctly au-
dible.
"Well, well, cheer upl" said the po-
liceman. not unkindly. (''He wur
married man hisself,o as later he in
formed Dick, land had matter O. three
hitler than her at 'Omel'') ITS fortu-
nate the matter admits o. hexplanation
-dooty. nevertheless is doOty, and doc
ty must be done. Howsomiver, alPs
well, apparently, an"
He laid his hand upon the child's
shoulder as he spoke, but as he touched
her she burst into a roar, and wrig-
Cling cat-like from his grasp, crOuched
down upon the frozen snow. clinging
fast with both purple hands to the area
ratings.
ma, nal" she howled incoherently;
II noa prigged it; I'll noa go-Ill-
But here sobs effectually checked her
utterance, and Dick was constrained to
interfere, endeavoring to explain to her,
after brief aside with the policeman,
that no one suspected her of any crime.
l''Not even lurkin wi felonious intent"
interpolated the stalwart officer, with
grim smile at his own humor.) But
that as it was necessary nights lodg-
ing should be found her, ''she must go
with the bobby like good little girl,
and be put to bed warm and snug, in
stead of being left to sleep on the snow
in the cruel street."
But the violence of the child's sobs
and tears was redoubled; she chung now
with the absolute frenzy of despair to
the ratings, her feet tucked under her,
her thin white face upturned with an
agony of beseeching in her eyes which
penetrated to the inmost recesses OF
Dicks heart.
This is terrible, bobby-terrible!
What on earth is to be done? She'll
scream herself into fits."
"She'l stop short o. that, sir; an, if
needs be, she'll ha' taste o. thisl"
holding up his staff. ''An' thin I'll list
ha' to carry her off bodily"
He stopped as he spoke, as though to
lift her forcibly from the pavement, but
a wild yell burst from her quivering
lips, and she relinquished her hold on
the ratings only to throw both her
arms round Dicks knees, to which she
chung as though no power on earth
should root her thence.
The young man laughed in spite OF
himself, for an element of the ludicrous
mixed with the tragedy of this painful
situation.
whats to be done now?" he ques-
toned vaguely, scarce seeking to re-
lease himself.
''Donep I'll show you'll" began the
not unnaturally aggrieved guardian of
the public peace, bending towards the
child.
But the cry she set up then startled
the echoes far and wide.
SIN diel I'll die soonerl" she
woantl Don't letten him touch mel"
she added piteOusly, clinging still tight
or to Dicks knees, so that the young
man in his turn had to stretch forth his